Washing-machine.



E. F. BEEBE.

I WASHING MACHINE. APPLIGATION PIL'ED Drums, 1908.

Patented 0ct.5,1909.

ukbus,

E. P. BBEBE. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 2s, i909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. F. BEEBE. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION -IILIID 1120.26, 190s.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

da 3 vwantoz I :RIU: PEYIKS. WC LIYNO. WASHINGTON. D C

E. F. BEEBB. WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED DBO. 26, 1908.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

| l A l A l..

wil-'nenes UiNlTED .STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

EUGENE-r. Bamm, or mNNna'roLIs, MINNESOTA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specication of Letters Patent. I

appucson mea member 2e, ieee. .sn-mno. resaca.

To ail wiwm l'it may Be it known that I, EUGENE F. Banen, a fof the United States, residing at Mimleapdis, in the county .of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have-invented certain new and usefulmprovements in rashng- Machines, of'which. the following is a specification, refexencezbeingvhad to the accomdrawings.

4This invention relates to 'improvements in 4washing 'machines, and more particularly the one set forth in my copending application ed June 12, 1908 .andhea'ring Serial Number 438,181. y

:he objects of'the'present invention are,

first, to provide.. an improved lock. head or locki catchfor releasably connecting the staff o thepounder to its depressing collar or element; second, tof'provide improved means for mounting and operating the pounders; third, improved means for intermittently rotating .the tub; and fourth, to generally improve and simplifythe construction and operation of the various parts o'f .the machine and thereby render the latter-stronger, more durable and efficient and atthe same time less expensive.

' With the above and other objects'in. view,

the invention lconsists of thenovel features of' construction and the 'combination and arrangement-of parts hereinafter fully de' scribed and claimed, and illustrated in the f accompanying drawings, in which.-

'Figure is a frontelevation of the improvedA washing machine; F ig. 2"is .a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indica-ted by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an .enlarged detail vertical section through the (pounder supporting and carrying frame an Fig. 'is a vieiv partly 1n topplan and part-lj7 in section.. the plane of the parts in section {being indicated by the irregular line in Fig. 2; Fig' is' a perspective ofthe oscillatorylever for actuating the pounder depressing collals or elements; Fig. is adetail section taken on-theplane .indicatedby the lineP-T in Fig. 3: F 8 is an enlarged detail section shovingthe ball bearing for the pivot of .the tubzFig. 9 is a -detail perspective of the cam 'block for intermitft'ently rotating the friction wheel which causes the rotarymovement of the tub; Fig. 10 isa-detail'perspective of -the link which .is connected to the .hand

.lever Fig. l11 is a side elevation of a portion which .projects a horizontal rarm 9 the gearing thereon;-

vien of the inner face of one of the half' sections of the lock head; Fig. 15 is a detail pers ctive of oneof the depressing collars or ements; F ig. 16 is a detail perspective of the spring catch; Fig. 1'1" is a Adetail section taken on the plane indicated by the line l-l in Fig. 13; Fig. 17?* is a detail section taken on' the plane indicated'by the line 17a-1Ta in F ig. 11; Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the frame or casting for support# ing the pounders; Fig. 19 is a top plan View of the saine; Fig. 20 is a detail view of the tub supporting memberor spider;- Figs. 21 and 22 are 'detail' perspective views showing -pa-rts .of the frame or' stand; and F ig. 23 isa consists of .a stati' i having suitably fixed to its lower end a heador cup 5 here shown of one of the pounderstaifs, its lock head Patented oet. 5, 1909.

in the form of a cone provided with an open I bottoni. The staffs i are preferably in the form o f' straight'flat faced metal. rods of square 'or other cross sectional shape and are .arranged for sliding movementin simi'- lar-shaped openings formed in the. bot-toms of guide .tubes or sleeves 6.

' .The guides 6 are carried by a supporting member or frame T preferably inthe forni of a Vcasting consist-ing of an upright por. tion or standard 8 from the central part of rovided at its end with .an npr' ht 10a1r a 'cross bar 11, at the ends o which latter are formed .the tubular guides '6.' The member "or `casting 7 carries the pounders, their o p- Y erating mechanism, .a cover for thetub vand also means for rotating the tub, and in order to permit all of these parts to Abe .swung ont of .fthe way to .permit of ready access vto the y interior of -thevtub, the lower end of v.the

standard 8 is preferably pivotd at 12 between spaced .ears formed upon the front member off .the stand 2. In order to support these parts when tilted :Eorwardlv7 .away trom the tub, said lower end 'of the standard '8 is formed with a sto projection 14 which is 4adapted vto engage .te upright poetion of the front member of :the stand 2, as indi? cated'in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the draw glhe pounders 3 areactua'ted upwardly by coil springs which surround-theirstaiis and have their' lower ends arranged and seated inthe tubular guides'y 6 and their upper ends engaged with lock heads 16 arranged upon the upper ends o f the pounder staifs.- Each of the lock heads16, as clearly shown in Figs. 11 to 11tinclusive of the drawings, preferably consists of two similar substantially semi cylindrical halfsections 17 having their opposing inner at Vfaces .pounder stad' 4as seen in Fig. 14.

held in contact'by transverse screws or similar fastenings 18,' the lower one-of which also passesthrough-thefupper end ofythe plunger staff 4 to unite thelock head `to said staff, as seen in Fig. 13'. In thelower'ends of the half-sections 17 of the lock head are. formed opposing channels or recesses 19 shaped to 'receive the upper' end .of the Formed inthe upper portionsof the flat opposing inner faces of the two half-sec'- tions 17` ofthe lock head are angularly ar ranged and intersecting recesses 20m whlch are slidably arranged spring locking lcatches or dogs 21. Each of these retractable catches or. dogs consists ofa `leaf spring having its itself lto provide a rounded head 22 and itsk upper end secured by' a screw or similar fas- I tening 23l to a Ibloclg2l which' serves as a weight/to actuate thewspring catchlor dog 21 downwardly in its recess or seat 20. Said block or weight 2-1 is preferably'wedge- .shaped so that it tapfs from its upper to '-it's lower end,and the .-recess or seat 20 l for a purpose presently'explained. The re-. cesses or seats 20 are ofsuch length' that the which receives it, is similar in shape so that spring catches 21, with their weight -blocks 24,. maybe movedupwardly into them so that the heads 22 of `the`catehes will not` project beyond' theatfaces 25 of the half sections 17, and the lower ends'v of-.said refcesses or seats 20'haveenlarged portions 26 into which the heads 22 ofthe' spring 'catches may be sprung .whilet-heeatche's lor dogs re-` mam m'their iowered position shown lin rig.` 1s. Y.

` The pounders are depressed'- or actuated senese providing said openings 28,.at opposite points, with flat faced walls 29 to engage and slide upon. the flat Afaces 25`of said lock heads.

The at'fajcesi-25, 29 of these two parts prevent axial rotary motion otone with respect to the other and thefgreater'diameter of the opening 28 permits the collars to have a limited lateral or transverse swinging 'move-f ment. Formed-integralwitb and depending from kthe yopposite sides of lthe collars' 2T,

are arms 30which receive' between them and are pivoted to the forked ends `31 of a rocking lever 32. The latterhas at ,its center a longitudinally arranged slot or loopshaped portion 33 to receive. the upper .extremity of the upright 10 on the pounder supportaol" ing member or casting 7 which upright 10 serves as one of the bearings for a horizontal -rock shaft 34. The latter -extendsthrough the loop-shaped central portion 33 of, the rocking lever whichV is suitably fixed thereto,l

so that when the shaft'ris rocked the lever or cro/ss headv 32 will be oscillated to impart members 27. .y u v Whileia'ny suitable means may be provided for operating/.thezshaft 34 either manually reciprQcatorymovement -to the collars or j or by a power device, a hand lever 35 is here shown as fixed to its outer end, which'end has a bea-'ring in the'upper extremity of the standard 8. Said'lever 35 is'xed intermediate its ends to the shaft and upon its long end is' a'suitable handle 36 while its vshort vend is pivoted to a :longitudinally curved link 37. The other end of. thisiis connected to a crank pin V38 on a ,rotary element 39 here shown in the fornipf a cog wheel or gearrotatably mounted onii stub shaft 40 in the form of abolt arranged in the intermediate portion of the standardl 8. lSaid gear 39 meshes with aplnion 41I fixed to one end .of a sleeve 42 .which is rotatable on a similar stub .shaft 43 carriedby the upper portion les of the standard 8. Fixed to the other end l` f of the sleeve 42 is a fly wheel 4l, 4the momentum of which facilitates the operation ofthe machine, as will be readily understood.

The stand or su portino' frame 2 on which f [the tub is mounte is .preierablyl constructed ofmetal and consists Aof v'three vmembe'rs vor sections, namely, a bottom section 45, a 'front section 46 and 'arear section 47. The.' bottom section 45. is of openrectangular'form preferably composed of a sin lecastmg and having right-angular `side an end bars and ofdownwardly by means` of; reciprocating-ele'- ja central crossbar 48' which unitesits two tom section '45 of the stand is formed with an senese side bars. The front section 46 of the stand is also in the form of a casting and is of inverted' .U-shape, thev depending arms ot' which form Asupporting legs and the closed 5 central upper portion of which is formed with the earsor lugs 13. The rear section 47 1s of substantially rectangular form, con- Msisting of t-wo upright bars or legs l5) united by upper and lower curved cross bars Q0, 51 to which mayY be yfastened a clothes wringer. Bolts 52 are provided for fastening the front and rear sections 46, 4T of the stand to the ends of the-bottom section l5 and, in order to'render this connection more effective, in-

tegral supporting lugs or shoulders 53 are formed .upont-he legs of the sections 46, 47 on which the bottom section resigns will be readily understood upon efeience to Figs. 2, '21 aid .22 of the drawings, A

The crossbr 48 in the center of the botintegral tubular uprightbearing 54 to receive a rotary pivot. pm which carries the tub. 4Said pivot.; pin has a'reduced upper end 56 to litrina central opening in al tub supporting casting which isili the form of a spider having its radiating arms apertured to receive studs 58 secured torand prt jecting from the under face 'o the bottom of the tub, as seen in" Fig.' 3. The lower end of the pivot pin has a coi'icaved cavityV or 'seatto receive a single bearing ball 59 iwliich sarranged'in thebottom of the tubular bearing 54 ahfl'isadjustably su ported on concaved seatjin the upper en of. a screwv 60, which latter'is 'located in a-"tl-ireaded openingv in theybottom of the bearing' 54, as shown more' clearly-in Fig. -8 of thedrawings. lThis anti-frlction bearing' lfor the tub renders its rotation easy and at the saine time provides a strong and effective mounting which will rmit the'tub 'to be readily removed fromt e stand.

The cover for the 'tub lis 'preferably composed of two sections 61, 62' which are ungedly connected, as shownV at 63. The section 61 is secured by rivets'or similar fas-v tenings 64 to 'the arm 9 of .the member or- 4casting 7, as shown in Fig, 2, so that when said member or casting is swung away -from the tub vthe cover will be carried with it. The surrounding'rim on the cover is adapted lto engage the upper edge or rim of the tub and .thereby support the member orfcasting 7 when in its normal operativeposit'ion, and in order to relieve' these parts of.V strain and' A to 'more effectively support and brace the casting 7, a pivoted'brace 65' provided, The latter has one of 'its ends pivoted be tween spaced ears or lugs 66 uponthe outer endA of the arm 9 and its free or bent lend 67 is adapted t'o engage' a seat' 68 provided upon the bar 50,-as seen in Fig.' 'of the drawings. This brace is h'in ed at. 68" so that" it. maybe swung upward y ont of 'the4 way when it is desired to lift the swinging .section 6'2 of the cover to gam access to the 'interior of the tub, without swinging the 4member or casting 7 to an inoperative position.,

For the purpose of intermittently rotating the tub and thereby7 cause the cups or heads 5 of theI pounders 'to operate over `different portionsof the bottom of the tub, a gear ring 69 is suitabljY fixed to the upper portion of the exterior of thetub'and adaptedV to mesh with said gear ring a pinion 7() xed upon one end cfa shaft T1 extending through and rotatable in a bearing in the lower portion of the standardl 8. seen in Fig. lLmFin'ied to the other'entl of the shaftv T1 isha.' friction wheel T2 arranged in the lpath ofna camfjlng 73 on a block or plate Tl which is'secured to the inner tacefot the rotary element or' gear 39. The periphery of the friction'wheel T2 is prcferabljt provided with a rim 75 of rubber or similar material which, when struck b v the cam lugr Til. will prevent `noise and slipping of said lugr and therebv canse the lng to give the wheel a artial rotation.

he operation of the invention is as ol lowsz's the hand lever is oscillated the rock shaft will 'oscillate the rocking lever 32 and thelatter will reciprocate the pounder actuating members or collars 2T. one of said collars being moved downwardly while the other is-being elevated. As the collalvs move oil'ered bylwat'er and clothes in .the tub overcomes the tension of the spring catches 21,' M

which latter 'then spring' inwardlyinto -the lower portions of the seats' E20 and the re- CSQS' 26 and permit the collars '2T to pass bencaththem, as indicated in dotted 'lines in Fig. 11.l The instant the pounder staffsA are thus'unlocked orr'eleased lfrom their actuating collars or elements '27, the coil springs surroundingthe 'pounder stalls will actuate the latter upwardly and thereby quickly elevateor retract the pounders. It will bey seen, therefore, that this releasable locking connecti'on is: entirely automatic. 'As the collars27 move upwardly their flat upper faces will engage the projecting heads 22' of the spring catches 21 'and will force said catches upwardly-into their seats or recesses 2O inthe "lock head-until said heads 22'lie entirely be neat-h the' planes of the flat faces Q5 'of the lock head, whereupon, .the collars pass the ,spring-catches. s the cups or-'heads onv 'the lower ends of the pounders move down-4 wardly the. air within` them is compressed and they force the water downwardlyV lac o catch or dog carried by the stati and adapted through the clothes; and as the pounders are quickly elevated by their retractlng springs a `partial vacuum or' suction is cre- .ated beneath. the cups and the water" is- T sucked or drawn upwardly through the clothes. The repeated action of the pound-v ers Ainfo rcing Water and air through the lclothes' caus es' the latter to be quickly and effectively cleaned. The oscillation ofthe 2.a lhand or operating-lever alsoA causes the ro tationof the gear '39, which latter imparts movement to the fly Wheel to facilitate the' the gear ring A69an'd hence the tub;

' Whilejthe preferred embodiment of the invention `has been shown and described in detail, it will-be lunderstood-that I do not limit I nyself to the precise construction and arral'i'gement vof .parts set forth, since va rions changes in the form, proportion, and minor details may be resorted to Without departing from the principle and scope-of the invention.

- Having thus described the is claimed is: 1. In a washing machine, a pounder, means for operating the same, and a slidably'mounted resilient locking catch or dog for operativ'ely connecting the pounder to said Aoperating means, said catchor dog being adaptedy 'to automatically release the pounder from the operating means.

2. Ina washing machine, a pounder hav-4 ,ing'a'sta an actuating member for depress` ing the stad, a slidably mounted' resilient to co-act with said actuating member, and means for elevating the'pounder staff when it is'automaticalljv released `from said act 'mating-member. c

` In a Washing machine, a pounder having a stati' provided with a recessed portion, a retractable locking catch or dog slidably arranged in the recess in the stattl and having a resilient portion to project outside of the staiiya slidable actuating member or collar .upon the staff to col-act-With 'said catch or dog and means for. operating said lmember or. collar.

ing a-statipmvided with a recessed portion, a retractable locking catch or dog slulably arranged in the recess in the staff and hawj invention What y 4. In a Washing machine, a pounder hav ing a stati provided with a.- recessed portion, a. retractable locking catch or dog slidably arranged in the recessin the staff and having a resilient portion toproject outside of 4the staff, a pounderfdepressin :or actuating 7.0 'memberl s'lidable upon the' ysta andl adaptedv to co-act with said catchorjdog, m'eans'for l .tionof thelock head and having -a resilient .8o

part to project-outside ofthelock head, a' vslidable actuatingmember .u'ponqthe lock head-Sto (3o-act Withsaid Vcatch. or v,dog and means for Operatingfsaid member.

,7. In awash-ing machine, apounderhav-` ing yastatfxprovided witha flat l:faced lock head, a depressing or actuating collar having an opening. of greaterpdiagmeter than the lock head whereby the collar is permitted to have a slight swinging movement, the opening in said collar having fiat faces to engage the latffaced portion' of the lock head,.whereby theco` lar is permitted to slide vfreely upon the lock head but is preventedlfrom rotating lf'axiall' thereon, meansfor reciprocating saidV collarIy and a spring catch or dog carried by the lock` head and ladapted to co-act with the collar. y

V8. In a vWashing machine, a pounder having a staff provided with a lock head, lthe latter being formed with a downwardly and outwardly inclined recess of Greater size at its top than at its bottom, .the lbottom of said recess opening upon the side of the lock head, a retractable dogo'r' catch slidable in` the recess of the lock head andconsisting of an attached spring and weight'block, the lab, ter being shaped to correspondwith the re` cess and the extremity of thespring being formedwith a head- .and adapted to project 1.10 outside of the recess when the catch on dogl vis in its lowered position, a slida-ble actuat'- .t

ing member upon the lock head to co-act `with said catch or; dog and means vfor operating. 4said member.` t 1 9. In a washing machine, a pounder havving a statt, a flock head secured to the vstaff and consisting of half-sections having. their opposing flat. faces formed With recessesjn` clined dmv-nu'ardly and outwardly in opposite directions, a pair of retractable catches. or dogs slidably arranged in `the recesses. and v i each consisting ofaspring and -a Weight block, the-flower ends of the springs having heads and the -iveight blocks being'adapted vto project the heads of thesprings out of the recesses and beyond. the outer faces of the f lock head and a slidableactuating member' oi-collar' arranged upon ithe lock head and 5.. In a washing machine. a pounder havadapted to co-act with saidcatchesor dogs. 130

to one side of the stand for vertical swing-- l0. In a Washing machine, `a support, guides, pounders having stalls slidalble in said guides, bearings, a rock shaft'in said bearings, a rocking lever fixed at its center to said shaft, means for oscillating said shaft, lock heads `upon the stads and provided with iat Afaced portions and with spring catches, depressing collars having openings of greater diameter' than the lock 'heads and provided 'with flat faces to enl gage the Hat faces 'of the loch head, said collars being adapted to co-act with' said spring catches and being formed with integral arms pivoted to the ends of the rocking lever, and springs for elevating the 'pou'nders 11. In a washing machine, a tub' supporting stand, a casting pivoted to said stand for '-vertical swinging movement and consisting of a standard, an arm projecting from the intermediate portion of the standard, an up right at the. upper end of the arm, and a cross head at the outer end of the arm and provided with guides, pounders having stas slidable in said guides, a shaft journaled in the upper ends of the standard and upright, means for operating said shaft, and ,pounder operating.means connected to said shaft.

12. -Ina washing machine, a tubsupporting stand,a pounder carrying frame pivoted ing' movement, and a foldable-bracebetween the frameand the other side of the stand- 13. In a washing machine, a tub supporting stand, apounder supporting casting consisting of -a standard, an arm projecting from the standard intermediate its ends,fan upright projecting from the outer end of the arm,- a cross head at the outer end of the arm formed with' guides and a' stop lug projectiug from the lower end ofthe standard,

v ing said shaft.

a horizontal pivot uniting the low'er'end of the standard to said stand whereby the casting may be swung vertically away fro the, standard and will be supported bythe engagement. of said lug with thestand, a fold! xed to the exterior. of said tub and having its teeth projecting upwardly, a horizontal shaft journaled in said standard, a pinion upon the inner end of' said shaft to mesh/5f) with the teeth ofv said'gear ring, a friction .wheel upon thedfther end of said sli/afb pounders and pounder operating n'1eans, :ajf- Iried by said standard, said pounder operating Vmeans includin a rockzfsfhaft. a hand lever ixed intermediate its ends vl on said rock shaft, stub shafts upon saidf'etandaria gear journaled upon one of said/stub shafts, a. cam lug arranged upon one/,side face of said gear and adapted t'o'cl-act'with said friction wheel, a crank piti upon the other side face of said gear, a 'link .connecting said crank pin to one end of saldhand lever, a ffy wheel upon the other of said stub shafts 'and a pim'on fixedly connected 'to said lyA wheel'an'd in mesh with'said gear.

lnv testimonyv whereof I rhereuntoaffix' my signature 1n the presence of two wltnesses.

EUGENE F. BEEBE. lYitnesses :A

W. C. HALL, L. S. THoi'lrsoN. 

